Fluid pump for printing or other machines



Nov. 30, 1954 w. F. HUCK FLUID PUMP FOR PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES E Huck 5M C? Ohm Amman IN V EN T OR.

4 2 M n a 4 E; A m

Filed July 26, 1949 rotated in either direction.

United States Patent Ofiflce 2,695,561 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 FLUID PUMP FOR PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES William F. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to Huck Co., New York, N. Y., a partnership Application July 26, 1949, Serial No. 106,867 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-366) This invention relates to printing machines, and more especially to fluid or ink pump and ink rail mechanisms for applying thin films of printing ink or other liquid to rotating cylinders that ordinarily form part of the machine used to apply these fluids to metal, paper, cloth or other material.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved ink rail and ink pump having several advantages not heretofore attained.

Other important objects of the invention are:

First, to provide an improved pump in which the quantity of ink or other fluid delivered by the pump varies directly with speed at which the ink or fluid is utilized,

Second, to provide an improved pump having special means for adjusting the amount of ink or fluid supplied; the said adjusting means being located close to the place where the fluid is delivered,

Third, to provide an improved pump for ink or other fluid having means whereby the pump can be easily removed and serviced,

Fourth, to provide an ink or other fluid pump that is driven directly from the cylinder to which the pump delivers ink or other fluid,

Fifth, to provide an ink pump operating mechanism that does not require attention when the printing or other unit. with which the pump is associated, is reversed or taken from service, and,

Sixth, to provide an improved fluid rail structure that will house a fluid pump unit in a position adjacent to the cylinder to which the fluid is to be applied.

Other important objects of the invention and advantages attained therefrom will be apparent from consideration of the following description and claims as well as from the single sheet of drawings which forms a part of this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a printing machine, equipped with an ink pump embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section of the mechanism of Fig. 1, as viewed along the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

' In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, a printing or other processing machine is shown to have a pair of upstanding side frames 11-11'. Bearings 12-12, carried by these side-frames, rotatably support in a horizontal position an ink or other fluid cylinder 13 by means of its journals 14-44, it being noted that the cylinder 13 may be selectively One reduced end of the cylinder 13 outside of the journal 14 has a gear 16 keyed thereto. The gear 16 meshes w1th and is driven by a wide faced gear 17 in such a way that the gear 16 is allowed limited axial movement. The wide gear 17 is part of the printing or other processing machine and actsas the drive for the cylinder 13. A reduced right end (Fig. 1) 18 on the journal 14 carries an axially operating cam 19 which is keyed and bolted to the said end 18. A cam groove 20 on the cam 19 is engaged by a stationary roller 21 bolted to a bracket 22 which, in turn, is bolted to the frame 11'. Rotation of the cam 19 by the cylinder 13 causes the cylinder 13 to have an axial reciprocating motion as well as the motion of rotation.

The cylinder 13 is contacted on its top by a fluid distributing roller 25, and on its lowermost part by a fluid of the shaft 32 which transfer roller 26, the latter acting to transfer a film of ink or other fluid from the ink cylinder 13 to a printing or application cylinder 27 which co-acts with a backup cylinder 28 to apply ink or other fluid to the upper surface of a web or sheet of passing material 29. In order to simplify the drawings, the rollers 25 and 26, as well as the printing couple 27-28, and the material 29 have been omitted from all of the figures except Fig. 2. However, it will be understood that these elements form a part of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

A combination ink or fluid rail structure and fluid pump casing is indicated generally by numeral 30. This main fluid structure 30 extends horizontally and comprises three principal members, viz., an upper part or cover 31, a middle block 36 and a lower or bottom part The cover 31 acts as a cap for a horizontally positioned, oscillatory shaft 32 that is housed in the fluid rail structure 30 and the shaft 32 extends: beyond both ends of the cover 31 and the block 36. The cover 31 and block 36 are supported by means, later to be described, and this same means also provides bearings for the ends will also be referred to later.

The three major parts of the pump casing, viz. the cap 31, the block 36 and the bottom part 60, house a plurality of volumetrically adjustable pump units. While any number of pump units may be provided, I have chosen to show, in Fig. 1, a pump having five pump units. of the pump units are identical in construction and all are operated by the operating shaft 32, therefore, only one of the several pump units is shown in Fig. 3 and only one will be described in complete detail.

The horizontally extending shaft 32 has a substantially triangular shaped groove or cut out 33 extending a large part of the length thereof and, at each pump unit location, this cut out 33, in co-operation with a vertically positioned handle equipped screw 34 provided for each pump location, functions to operate and control each pump unit. Each adjusting screw 34 is threaded into the cap 31, and the cap by a plurality of spaced bolts 37. The bloclk 36 journals the lower half of the shaft 32 and, for each pump unit, houses a pump-plunger 38. The plunger 38 has a lower reduced stem 39 that is surrounded by a vertical compression spring 40 which forces the plunger 38 upwardly shaft 32, or in contact with 34, whichever is lowermost. Control of the amplitude of the vertical reciprocating movement of the plunger 38-39 is obtained by adjusting the screw 34 in a manner presently to be described.

The lower end of the stem 39 is provided with an annular seal 44 imbedded in an annular groove 45, thus preventing liquid from passing upwardly along the stem A fluid canal or ink reservoir 46 extends horizontally substantially 36. The reservoir 46 is connected to an elevated source of ink supply (not shown) by a hose 47, thus maintaining the fluid or ink in the reservoir 46 under a predetermined, preferably light, pressure. One side, the left side as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, of the block 36 is provided with an outfacing concave surface 48 of such radius of curvature as to contact a portion of the convex cylindrical surface 49 of the roller 13. The bottom of the block 36 has a plurality of slotted openings or nozzles 50, there being one nozzle opening for each pump unit, and each nozzle opening extends axially along the cylinder 13, and the surface 48, a distance equal to the portion of the cylinder 13 to be supplied by the particular pump unit.

The lower part 60 of the pump is held to the block 36 by a plurality of bolts 61. The part 60 houses two valves, the first of these being a suction valve having a suction hole 62, the upper end of which is provided with a frusto-conical valve seat 63 and an intake part or connecting hole 65, the latter being in communication with the reservoir 46. A ball 64 is held in engagement with the seat 63 by a helical compression spring 66, the lower end of which abuts a lower cover plate 80, later to be described. The second valve, in the portion 60, is a pressure valve and comprises, a pressure hole 31 is bolted to the block 36 a lower end 43 of the screw the full length of the middle block the parts 36 and respectively,

conical valve seat formed at the upper end thereof,

the ball 69 being held in engagement with the seat '70 by a helical compression spring 71, the lower end of which abuts; the plate 80.

A clearance. cavity 72, formed in an upper portion of the lowerp'azrtr60, permits the lower end 73 of the plunger 38-39 tomove up: and down freely. A first passageway 74, bored. on an incline, connects the suction: hole- 62 with the clearance cavity '72 and thus: allows ink or other fluid topass from. the; hole. 62 tothe cavity 72. A second passageway 75 connects the: cavity '72. with the pressure hole 63. A third passageway 76,. bored on an incline, connects thepressure hole (id-with: the slot .50, previously described, and thus providesa'path' for ink or otherfluid to flowfrom the hole 68 to1the slot 50 and thence onto the. surface 49 of the: ink cylinder 13:. Reference to Fig; 3 shows: that the pump units composed of elements 64, 69-, 73, '76, etc: are located very close or adjacent to thesu-rface- 48 and he surface 82 (later mentioned).

The lower. cover plate which engages the lower ends" of springs 66 and 71, also acts as a closure for the. bottom ends of the holes 62 and 68', the plate 80 beingheld tothe. bottom, part. 60- by a plurality of bolts 81. The left sideof the lower part 6.0 (Figs; 2'. and 3) has an outfaci-ng concave surface 82. of the same radius of curvature as the surface 43, and contacts the surface 49 of the cylinder 13 below the surface 48. The two surfaces. 48 and. 82, which are formed integral. with of the fluid rail structure 30, provide the means for contacting the cylinder 13;

Upstandi-ng side brackets 90. and 91 are. provided at opposite ends and act'as supports for-the cover 31 and the block 36-, the. brackets and 91 being held to these parts by a plurality of horizontal screws (shown but not numbered). These side brackets 90 and 91 also journal, by bearings 94 and 95, the ends-92 and 93 of the shaft 32. The end: 92 is keyed to the mid-portion of a lever 96,. the upper end of said lever functioning asv a handle 97. Part way down the lever 96 there is provided a hole 98 into which is hooked the lower end of a tension spring 100, of which the upper end is hooked to agroovecl stud 106 formed on, the upper end of an upper extension of the side bracket 90. The upward pull of the spring 100 causes a cam roller 101, carried on the. lowermost end of the lever 96, to engage a cam 102keyed to a journal: 14 of the inking cylinder 13'. The lower end of each of the brackets 90 and 91- is provided, respectively, with a hub 108 and 109, which are fulcrumed on a horizontally extending shaft 110 that is supported by the side frames 11-11 and held axially in place. by collars 112-112 The side brackets 90 and 91 also. have hubs and 121 respectively which hold studs 122 and 123 for upper ends of a pair of connecting links 124 and 125, respectively. Lower ends of the links. 124 and. 125 are connected respectively to the free ends of. crank levers Y127 and 128 by means of studs 134 and 135. The lower end of the levers 127 and 128 are keyed. toan operating shaft 138, which is journaled in frames11 and 11' and which is held in place axially by a pair of collars 142-142. One end of the shaft 138 carries an operating handle 145 keyed thereto at a locationoutside of frame 11. The frame 11 carries a stop pix-1.14.6 which prevents over travel of the handle 145 as it is moved in a clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 2.) to lock the concave surfaces 48 and 82, of the pump block as and the bottom part 60, against the surface 49 of the cylinder 13.

It will be noted that the studs 134 and are eccentric. This makes it possible to regulate the position of the ink rail structure 30 with respect to the cylinder 13, andthus obtain accurate adiustment of the thickness of the film of ink or other fluid that the pump supplies to the cylinder 13. It will be appreciated that the surfaces 48 and 82 (see dash-dot line of Fig. 2) can be separated from the convex surface 49 by operating the handle 145. Operation of the handle 145, not only moves the members 90, 96, 30, 36 and 60 away from the cylinder 13, but also disengages the roller 10]- from the cam, 102 and thus automatically stops all of the pump units, thus preventing spillage and wastage of the fluid or ink-.,

Operation The ink pump mechanism, hereinbefore described,

functions in the following manner. Rotation of the gear 17 by-ameans, not'shown, drivesthe gear 16 andcanses rotation of the ink or fluid cylinder 13 and the cam 19 having groove 20. Engagement of the roller 21 with the cam groove 20 causes the cylinder 13 to reciprocate endwise as it rotates. Rotation of the cylinder 13 also causes rotation of the cam- 102, and the cam 102, through the cam roller 101, induces circular oscillatory motion to the lever 96, the face. of the cam 102' being wide enough so that the roller 101 will not lose contact with the. cam 102 as the cylinder 13 reciprocates endwise.

Oscillation of the lever 96 causes oscillation of the shaft 32 and this in turn causesthe edge 42 of the shaft 32 to rise and fall. Movement of the edge 42 causes up and down reciprocation of the plunger 38-39-73, against the compression spring 40, as indicated by the dash-dot lines appearing in the cavity 72 formed in the lower body part 6t);

Upward motion of the lower end 73 0f the: plunger 38-39 permits ink or other fluid to flow from; the'reservoir 46, through theintake hole 65-, past the ball s4; into thesuction hole: 62: and. thence through the first passageway 74 into the portion of space of cavity-"72' that has been vacated by the rising: end 73 of the plunger 38-39. Downward. movement of the: plunger 398-39 -737, caused by downward movement of the edge. 42;: will produce pressure within the cavity 72. This: pressure will close the ball valve 63-64 and open theball. valve 69-70, and ink or other fluid will be forced through the second passageway 75, past the seat 70, into the pressure. hole 68, and thence through the third passageway 76 into; the slot 50, which inturn applies the ink or othenliq-uid to the surface 49 of the cylinder 13..

The amplitude of oscillation. of the; shafti'32, and-thus the edge 42, is such that the: full plunger'strokeainduced thereby will provide more than enoughink or'fiuiiiif'or the maximum requirement of the process. Fontfirsxreason, the screws 34 of the variouspumpxareusuallypositioned so that the upward stroke of'theplungerw'ill be limited by contact between the lower-end 43-:ot the-screw 34 and the upper end of. the plunger 38. If adecreased supply of ink or fluid is required the screw 34 Willrb lowered and if an increased supply is required; the screw 34 will be raised, thus decreasingor increasin-gthe length of the stroke of the plunger 38-39-73.

From the above it will be noted, that, I have'proyided a novel and improved" combination ink or fluid rail structure 30 positioned horizontally at. onersidevofi the cylinder 13, the major portions of the structurea30being within the horizontal projection of the cylinder 13,... It will also be noted that I have opera-ted the shaft 32-day means of the lever 96, and the cam follower rollenlill, and the operating cam 102. insuch. armanner that: the direction of rotation of the cylinder 13 can bereversed without effecting the operation of the various-pump units. Furthermore, when the operating-handle is moved to move the surfaces 48 and- 82 from out of contact with the surface of the cylinder 13, the. cam roller. 101. is automatically moved away from the cam; 102, thus stopping the various pump. units from functioning-.,

What I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination a rotating cylinder thatmay'rotate in either direction, a fluid rail structuremotmted'adjacent said cylinder and having openings tosupply fluid tOxSaid cylinder, a plurality of fluid pump units housed within said fluid rail structure and arranged to supply fluidito said openings, a shaft mounted within said fluid rail structure, means carried by said cylinder and. arranged to oscillate said shaft regardless ofthedirectionamdspeed of rotation of said cylinder, and means carried bysaid shaft for operating said pump units and thereby pumping fluid, whereby the speed of said pump: units varies directly with the speed of rotationof'sa-id cylindenin either direction and the fluid is utilized by saidcyli'nder and at a proper rate regardless of the speedondirection of rotation of the cylinder.

2. In combination a cylinder, a frame'for-rot'ata-bly supporting said cylinder, a fluid rail structure having-a surface for contacting said cylinder, a plurality of vol umetrically adjustable pump units housed within saidfltiid rail structure at a location adjacent said surfacefor-contactmg said cylinder, separable driving elements for operating said pumps, one of said driving elernentsbeing carried by said cylinder and another of said driving elements being carried by said fluid rail structure, means for causing relative movement of said fluid rail structure with respect to said cylinder, and means operated by the relative movement of said fluid rail structure with respect to said cylinder for causing said separable driving elements to separate, thereby stopping the pumps at the (time the fluid rail structure is separated from said cylin- 3. A fluid rail structure for applying fluids to the surface of a cylinder, said fluid rail structure comprising, a middle block portion, a cap portion secured above said middle block portion, an oscillatory operating shaft journaled by said middle and cap portions, an edge formed on said oscillatory shaft a bottom portion secured below said middle block portion and having a plurality of cavities, a spring pressed pump plunger housed in said middle block portion and having an end extending into one of the cavities of said bottom portion, said plunger being oscillated from said edge formed on said shaft, a suction valve and a pressure valve housed in said bottom portion, and means for introducing fluid to said suction valve, said pump plunger acting to force fluid past said pressure valve and out of said fluid rail structure.

4. A device for applying a thin film of fluid, comprising a rotating cylinder, a fluid rail structure, a plurality of individually adjustable pump units housed within said fluid rail structure, means formed integral with said fluid rail structure for contacting the surface of said rotating cylinder, a horizontal shaft substantially fully enclosed in said fluid rail structure, means carried by said shaft for operating said pump units, separable driving elements for operating said horizontal shaft, one of said driving elements being carried by said cylinder and another of said driving elements being carried by said horizontal shaft, means for causing separation of said fluid rail structure from said cylinder, and means operated by the relative movement of said fluid rail structure with respect to said cylinder for causing said separable driving elements to separate, thereby stopping the pumps at the time the fluid rail structure is separated from said cylinder.

5. In combination a rotating cylinder, a fluid rail structure mounted adjacent said cylinder, a plurality of fluid pump units housed Within said fluid rail structure, an oscillatory shaft mounted within said fluid rail structure, a cam carried by and rotatable with said cylinder, a lever carried by said shaft, a cam roller carried by the free end of said lever and arranged to contact said cam thereby oscillating said shaft, and means carried by said shaft for operating said pump units, whereby the speed of said pump varies directly with the speed at which fluid is utilized by said cylinder.

6. In combination a cylinder having a convex surface, a frame for rotatably supporting said cylinder for rotation in either direction, a fluid rail structure having a concave surface for contacting said convex surface, a plurality of pump units housed within said fluid rail structure and arranged to supply fluid to said concave-convex surfaces, an oscillatory shaft housed within said fluid rail structure, a cam carried by said cylinder and rotatable in either direction therewith, a lever carried by said shaft, a cam roller carried by the free end of said lever and arranged to contact said cam, whereby said cam oscillates said shaft regardless of the direction of rotation of said cylinder, and means for operating said pumps from said oscillating shaft regardless of the rotation of cylinder.

7. An inking mechanism for printing machines, comprising, in combination a pair of side frames; an inking cylinder rotatably supported by said side frames; a fulcrum shaft carried by said side frames; a three part ink rail structure pivotally mounted on said fulcrum shaft; an operating shaft turnably supported by said side frames; a handle for operating said shaft; a pair of crank levers carried by said operating shaft; a pair of links pivotally connected to said ink rail structure; an eccentric connecting the free end of each crank lever to one end of one of said links; a plurality of ink pumps housed within said ink rail structure, each of said ink pumps including a spring pressed plunger, an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and means for conveying ink from said pump to said inking cylinder; an oscillatory shaft journaled between two parts of said ink rail structure, said shaft having a plurality of cut outs for operating said spring pressed plungers; a cam carried by and rotatable with said inking cylinder; a lever secured to one end of said oscillatory shaft; and a cam roller carried by the free end of said lever and biased to engage said cam; whereby when said cylinder is rotated in either direction said pumps supply ink to the surface of said cylinder.

8. In a device for applying a thin film of fluid to the surface of a rotating cylinder, a first drive arranged to rotate said cylinder, a fluid rail structure, a plurality of pump units housed within said fluid rail structure, a second drive having two parts, one part being supported by said cylinder and the other part being supported by said fluid rail structure and arranged to actuate said pump units from said first drive, a fluid applying surface formed integral with said fluid rail structure for contacting the surface of said rotating cylinder, and an operating member for separating said fluid applying surface from contact with the surface of said cylinder and said operating member simultaneously separating said two parts of said second drive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,583,172 Phythian May 4, 1926 1,642,809 Granger Sept. 20, 1927 1,707,995 Schlotter Apr. 9, 1929 2,253,122 Hamant Aug. 19, 1941 2,469,796 Stobb et al. May 10, 1949 2,479,103 Dorr Aug. 16, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 434,107 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1933 

